District News

KAMSC Shares Books with Adult Education

Books Stock New Reading Room

Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center teacher Mike Sinclair issued a challenge to KAMSC students as part of the program’s Spirit Week celebrations: Everyone donate one book for the Kalamazoo Public Schools Adult Education program, which happens to be one of their neighbors in Old Central.

He was hoping for about 300 books. Students and staff donated 632 books.

The Book Nook was started by adult education teacher Dana Gay three years ago. She was looking for a way to encourage students to spend more time reading for pleasure.

“Many of my students, who were apprehensive about reading, were showing new growth and a quiet enthusiasm,” she said.

She found an old book rack in a storage closet and loaded it with books from her home and donations from friends. She topped the rack with a sign that said, “Take a book, Leave a book.”

The Book Nook caught on with students and the rack was quickly emptied. Staff contributed magazines and books and scoured the Kalamazoo Public Library’s Friends of the Library book sales to get $2 bags of books to share. And, students made their own contributions to the rack.

“The more our adult education students read, the more interesting class discussions became. They were bringing outside informed opinions into the GED realm and making the text-to-world connections. The biggest reward for us was to hear students discuss these books among themselves and recommend them to each other as they perused the rack.”

Sinclair launched his book drive after seeing the almost empty book rack on one of his walks through the building that KAMSC and Adult Education share. He was so pleased with the support from KAMSC students, he’s hoping to make the book drive an annual event.

“We’re thrilled that the KAMSC students have the heart to share literacy and the love of reading with fellow students in the community,” Gay said. “We believe that our Adult Education students will benefit and continue to pay it forward in the future.”

If you'd like to make a book donation, contact KPS Adult Education at (269) 337-0422.